Gail Kendrick

Gail Kendrick died peacefully on March 5 following approximately 10 years of ongoing treatment and chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Despite her terminal prognosis, Gail repeatedly stated that this period, even with the burden of cancer, was the happiest of her life and that she regarded her relationship with cancer, not as a battle, but rather as a prolonged dance with a very talented partner. Born in Hanover, N.H. on November 13, 1940, the second daughter of Margaret Stowell and Joseph Shepard Tidd, Gail spent her early childhood years (WW II) moving with her family as they followed her father in his government employment. After the war the family settled in a suburb near New Haven, Connecticut where Gail attended the Hamden public schools. She left high school at the end of her junior year to study at Wellesley College, from which she graduated with honors in 1962. Subsequently Gail earned a Masters degree in teaching from Harvard University and taught in the Newton and Lexington Massachusetts school systems and at Simmons College. Some years later Gail received her doctorate in Educational Psychology (counseling), including a year of clinical internship at The Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston. After receiving her Ph.D. and post-doctoral training Gail practiced psychology here in Austin, Texas until her diagnosis of metastatic cancer. Gail was preceded in death by both her parents and a younger brother, Doug. Her older sister and her husband, Joanne and Bob Scobie live in Hanover, N.H. Gail is survived by her beloved and very loving, supportive husband of 44 years, David; their daughter Ann Kendrick Horan and her husband John J. Horan, M.D.; their son Colin and his wife Allison Oberle Kendrick; Gail and David's granddaughters, the joys of Gail's last years, Callan and Amelia Horan and Sydney Kendrick. Both David and Gail believed themselves to be incredibly blessed by the presence in Austin of all their children (including John and Alli) and the wonderful love that was a part of their families, and by extension, into the lives of the grandchildren's love for their "GiGi" and "Grandy". One friend wrote recently to Gail a sentence that captures her so well – "Your perception, your perspective, your humor, your caring, your loving, your advice will stay forever meaningful and are anchors for our lives, now and in the future." Gail had a wonderful capacity to be present to her family and friends. It was remarkable that through her long dance with cancer she never turned inward but was always and constantly thinking of and doing things that made the lives of all those around her richer and better. The family would like to thank the staff at Texas Oncology Northwest, including Michael Kasper, M.D., his nurse Bobbi Moles, John Sandbach, M.D. and both Lisa Painter and Lisa Sailor (their PA's), all the nurses in the chemotherapy room – a compassionate, caring, frequently humorous (Gail often had an offbeat sense of humor) and extremely competent group. In addition, Jerry Vandel, M.D., Karen Swenson, M.D. and Jordan Weingarten, M.D. provided excellent continuity of care and ongoing support. Thank you. Gail also asked us to tell all her friends how very much she appreciated their continued caring, friendship, and the laugher they shared, not just for the last 10 years, but for a long, long time. Thank you all. You have meant a lot to all of us. A memorial service will be held in Austin on Sunday March 29th at 2:30pm. The service will be held at the chapel of Riverbend Church located at 4214 North Capital of Texas Highway (www.riverbend.com). A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers for this service those who desire might make a donation to Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, support services for children with cancer and their families (4900 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723), or Safe Place (P.O. Box 19454, Austin, TX